The Next Big Industry?

Fantasy sports is something many people play and enjoy. Some play for fun and some play for money. People always seem to say they lose interest in fantasy baseball because the season is too long so they forget they even have a team. The same can apply to fantasy basketball and hockey. The season long commitment is one of the negatives people always talk about in fantasy sports.

Sport For Thought: The Michael Jordan of the Swimming Pool

Michael Jordan. Michael Phelps. Both of these athletes have dominated and are undoubtedly the greatest athletes in their respective sports. But can you believe they have both failed at the same thing? It seems that Phelps' time playing golf was not as enjoyable as he originally planned when entering retirement. Being the greatest at a sport is not all they have in common after Phelps' recent and shocking decision last week of ending his retirement. After completely one of the most legendary and decorated careers in basketball history and announcing his retirement, Michael Jordan could not last long away from the court. Michael Phelps seems to be taking a similar route as Jordan by coming out a retirement a year after completing one of the most decorated careers in Olympic history.

Atlantic Division Noteworthies: Knicks, Sixers

For most of the season the Atlantic Division has displayed some fairly bad basketball.  If it weren't for the Brooklyn Nets seriously turning their season around, and the Toronto Raptors surge following the trade of Rudy Gay, the Atlantic Division might have boasted five sub .500 teams. There are only five teams in the division. As it stands three teams, Philadelphia, Boston and New York will be finishing well below that mark. While unlikely the wheels could still fall off for the Nets.  Toronto looks safe, as they lead the division with a 37-28 record.  However, as the proverbial stretch-run to the playoffs begins in the NBA, it may come as a surprise that two of the below .500 teams from this very division have recently commanded NBA headlines. 

Global Scope: 2014 FIBA World Cup

I think that everyone knows that 2014 is the year of the FIFA World Cup hosted in Brazil. However, maybe overshadowed by the FIFA event, not many people remember that this year is also a FIBA World Cup year. The FIBA World Cup, as well as the Olympics, are the top two international basketball tournaments. This year's event will be held in Spain in six venues located in six different cities. The host cities are Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Bilbao, Seville, and Las Palmas with an emphasis on Madrid and Barcelona. The group stages will be played out throughout all six venues, but from the Round of 16 on only Madrid and Barcelona will host games, with the grand finale set to be played at Madrid's Palacio de Deportes.

Above the Rim: Outrage and Ecstasy

Over the past few weeks, there have been stories that Maloof family are going to sell the Sacramento Kings franchise to a Seattle-based ownership group. This group would then relocate the Kings to Seattle and the team could conceivably play next season in the Sonic’s former home, Key Arena. A new arena would subsequently go under construction with the goal of being completed in time for the 2015-16 NBA season. It appears that the framework of the deal that was reported a week or two ago as “close to complete” has now become official . Basketball fans in the Seattle area are rejoicing, while Kings fans in Northern California still hold out a small sliver of hope.